Sameer sat at the dining table in the morning when Phulla bua came out of her room after bath.

"Good morning, bua dadi." He gave a bright smile.

"Good morning, itni jaldi uth gaya tu?" She patted his head.

He could not tell her that he could not sleep at all, thinking about Naina all night.

Phulla bua prepared tea and handed him a cup as she sat down on the opposite chair.

"Ab jaldi se chai peeke mera ek kaam kar de." She said.

"Kahiye na, main abhi kar deta hun." He said eagerly.

"Arre pehle chai pee le... uske baad bazaar se dudh aur pooja ke phool la dena... aaj chutti hai isliye doodhwala bhi nahi aayega aur phoolwala bhi... toh tu daud ke chale jana."

Sameer loved it when bua dadi ordered him... not treating him like a guest but like family... a grandson. He had never been asked to do anything around the house... the two years he had spent with nanu were the only years at home in true sense. And that time too, he himself went to the kitchen sometimes when nanu was cooking and showed interest in helping. That is how be could learn a few things. More than that, he had no idea how things were done at home. But now be wanted to know.

Sameer asked for the directions to the shop where he could buy the things bua dadi wanted and left after his tea.

Phulla bua got busy in the kitchen, making preparations for the breakfast.

"Bua dadi, bathroom mein paani nahi aa raha." Naina stomped out a while later, still in night suit.

She muttered in frustration, "Fir atak gayi... jab main nahane gaayi tab toh theek thi."

Looking back at Naina, she explained,"Mere bathroom ki pipe kharab ho gayi hai... kabhi bhi atak jaati hai... aaj toh chutti hai... ab kal hi theek kara sakti hun... tu aise kar yahan wale bathroom mein naha le."

Naina looked at her grandmother with open  mouth, "Yahan toh Sameer hai."

"Nahi woh ghar pe nahi hai... maine bazaar bheja hai doodh aur phool lane... woh aaye tab tak tu naha le." Phulla bua said nonchalantly.

Naina was even more shocked. She could not imagine Mr Richie Rich Maheshwari to be out in the market early morning to buy milk. Wishing she could see him secretly, dealing with the shopkeepers... she stifled a chuckle and walked back to the room to get her towel.

Sameer came back shortly from the market. He went to the kitchen to hand over the shopping to Phulla bua.

"Yeh kya hai?" She was stunned to see a huge bag full of flowers.

Sameer looked up in confusion, "Phool hain... apne hi toh laane ko kaha tha."

She gave him an amused look, "Sameer beta, pooja ke phool lane ko kaha tha... bas itne se lagte hain."

She joined her palms to form a hollow.

Sameer stared at her hands and then at the bag which had hundred times more flowers.

Sheepishly, he looked back at the old lady, "Sorry bua dadi, mujhe pata nahi tha... kabhi khareede nahi... isliye... "

Phulla bua burst out laughing, "Budhu hai bilkul... ab isse mandir ke samne rakh de."

Sameer went out scratching his head as he heard bua dadi talking to herself while she continued to laugh, "Bas shakal se hi hero hai... akal toh Naina ko hi sikhani padegi."

Still lost in thoughts, he went to his room, walking to the bathroom to wash his face.

Suddenly, the bathroom door opened and Naina walked straight into him.

His hand went around her instinctively, preventing her from a fall.

Naina was too dazed to move for a few moments...

Sameer was too shocked to step away...

They stood staring at each other...

Coming to his senses much sooner than Naina, Sameer took in the stroke of good luck in his arms. She had wrapped her hair in a towel. Her skin glowed like it was illuminated from inside. He slowly moved his hand and tugged at the towel. It fell back, making the wet hair tumble down on her face.

He gulped, clearing them with a finger to see her face. The water drops had settled on her skin, like dew drops on a petal.

Finally, Naina realised their position and hastily moved back, looking at the open door.

Sameer looked at her from head to toe. Her dripping hair fell on a part of her face, the cotton kurta had many wet patches, making it transparent around her shoulders... and he swallowed... her salwar was a little high and her bare feet were totally wet. As his eyes travelled back, he noticed the drops stuck at the ends of her hair.

Not able to stop himself, he picked up a portion of hair and took it to his nose, inhaling deeply. It smelled of lavender. Moving closer, he moved his nose to her neck and inhaled again... the mixed fragrance of rose and lavender filled him up.

Naina tried to move further back... she encountered wall. There was no way to go. Even the door of the room was not visible.

"Sameer... koi... koi aa jayega." She managed to speak.

He was completely mesmerised by the pure, pristine and raw appeal of the freshly showered look of his girl.

Moving closer, his one palm rested flat on the wall beside her, while the other hand went up to her cheek, flicking away a drop... then another. Naina turned her face to the side, making more hair fall on it. His fingers lightly pushed the hair away, revealing her face and closed eyes.

His eyes got stuck on a fresh drop of water at the corner of her lip. He dipped his head and took it with his lips.

Naina's hands, which were holding her kurta at the sides till now, flew up to clutch his t shirt. Her breathing that had already gone haywire with his gaze and touch, now came in gasps. She tried to push him but he did not budge, standing close yet his body not touching hers... his eyes making her melt.

As he inched his head towards her, the shrill sound of doorbell brought him out of the spell. Taking advantage of his attention shifting momentarily, Naina pushed him and ran to the door.

Bua dadi walked out to open the main door of the house and Naina got a chance to run to her room without being noticed.

Sameer kept standing with his one hand on the wall and one fisted on his heart, trying to bring the erratic beating in control.

"Tum har din pehle se zyada sundar kaise ho jati ho, Naina... kuch toh socho mere bechare dil ke baare mein... kaise jhel payega itna torture?" He touched his forehead to the wall,

Taking a few deep breaths, he turned to get his towel when his eyes fell on Naina's towel lying on the floor. He picked it up and the held it against his face, the cool dampness soothing his burning skin.

Few minutes later, as he entered the bathroom, her fragrance enveloped him again. It was all around. He looked at the shampoo, picking it up  to smell it. It wasn't as good as her, neither was the soap when  he smelled it.

The aroma was his Naina... none of these external elements could contribute to her beauty, neither she needed anything. She was like a fresh bloom, filling up the air with her captivating fragrance and dazzling him with her delicate beauty. He wondered if his bathroom would also smell like this when  Naina would permanently stay in his house.

Naina held onto the chair for quite a few minutes... to get her breath back. Sameer had shaken her completely. She had quickly finished her bath, intending to be out of his room before be was back. But he was there to collide with her the moment she walked out of the bathroom. She coiled in embarrassment... what a mess she must be... hair in a towel, wet clothes, salwar tucked high to avoid getting wet...

She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to rid herself of the image she must have been in front of him.

"Naina, taiyar ho gayi beta?" Phulla bua's voice made her come out of her dazed state.

"Abhi aayi bua dadi," she called out, quickly moving in front of the mirror to brush her hair.

Her kurta on the shoulders had become see through with the excess water from her hair. Sighing, she placed her dupatta properly around it. Done with the hair, she went to the kitchen.

When Sameer came out after his bath, Naina and bua dadi had prepared his favourite alu paranthas with curd and butter. He stole a glance at Naina. One look and the images from his fantasies clouded his vision. He closed his eyes, deciding not to look up till he could think straight.

"Aaj tabiyat theek nahi hai kya teri?" Bua dadi was surprised to see him stop after two paranthas.

"Nahi... tabiyat ko kya hoga?" He looked at Phulla bua.

"Fir do mein hi kyon ruk gaya... arre tujhe toh chaar bhi kam padte hain." She chuckled.

He looked down at his plate, "Bas woh raat ko zyaada kha liya tha isliye abhi bhook nahi hai."

Naina was surprised too. Sameer not hungry for alu parantha was a new phenomenon for her.

"Pakka isko jhatka laga hai mujhe aise bhootni jaise dekhke." Naina was sure she was the reason for his lost appetite.

Once the breakfast was done, they went about to clean the temple and throw away the stale flowers and empty diyas. Sameer took away diyas and wax of burned candles from the balcony. Naina cleaned the living room, throwing away the water with stale rose petals and cleaning the rangoli from the main door.

Done with all the cleaning, they sat exhausted in the living room.

"Ab chai kaun pilayega?" Bua dadi said as she fanned herself with a newspaper.

Naina got up immediately, "Main banati hun."

"Tum baitho, main banata hun," Sameer addressed her first time since morning.

"Haan Naina, isko banane de... badhiya banata hai." Bua dadi agreed to his offer.

Sameer went to the kitchen.

"Naina, tumhara jhagda hua hai kya?" She asked her granddaughter in a low voice.

"Na... nahi toh... jhagda kyon hoga?" Naina was instantly defensive.

"Arre jhagda toh achha hota hai... chote mote jhagdon se pyaar badhta hai... agar hua hai toh koi darne ki baat nahi hai." She gave an important lesson of life to Naina.

Sameer and Naina left after lunch, saying goodbye to bua dadi and thanking her for giving them a chance to celebrate diwali like a family.

"Sameer, tum naaraaz ho mujhse?" She asked as they were on the bike.

"Naraaz kyon hounga, Naina?" He asked over his shoulder.

"Woh shayad... mujhe laga ki woh main... " She could not tell him the reason.

"Bolo na? Kya laga tumhe?" He was worried now.

"Kuch nahi... bas mujhe laga... agar naraaz nahi ho toh baat kyon nahi kar rahe the?" She asked him with a little annoyance.

He could sense she was tensed about something and he had to clear it.